The present invention relates to products particularly those for use in contact with the human body.
The earliest systematic exposition of the different kinds of salts and their uses including medicinal bathing was published in China in approximately 2700 BC. Hippocrates the ancient Greek physician encouraged his fellow healers to make use of salt water to heal various ailments by immersing their patients in seawater. The ancient Greeks continued this trend and in 1753 English author and physician Dr Charles Russell popularised the practice in his ‘Uses of Sea Water’.
The terms ‘salts’ comes from their appearance being similar to the crystals of common salt. Such salts include magnesium sulphate (also known as Epsom salts), sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium sesquicarbonate and sodium citrate. Salts convey a myriad of beneficial qualities to a user whilst bathing, such as cleansing, softening and exfoliating the user's skin during bathing, in addition to softening the water, thereby changing the way in which surfactants and soap behave in a bath.
One of the most popular forms of the bath salt is the Bath Bomb. Bath bomb type products date from the early 20th century, and may be considered a form of bath salt as they typically comprises at least one salt of carbonic acid, and at least one acidifying agent. When a bath bomb is placed into water, it vigorously effervesces releasing carbon dioxide. The reaction is an acid-base reaction resulting in the production of a salt, carbon dioxide and water.
The commercially available ‘Butterball’ product, sold by LUSH Cosmetics, comprises a carbon dioxide effervescing component together with cocoa butter. The cocoa butter melts on contact with the bathing water and creates a layer of molten cocoa butter on top of the water that can moisturise and emolliate the user's skin. There is no emulsifier present in this product, and therefore the layer of molten cocoa butter will remain on the surface of the bathing water.
The present invention seeks to provide a solid cosmetic product which provides a dose of bathing salts and emollients, with an enhanced experience for the user.